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History and Societies of the Islamic World
Master´s program
History and Societies of the Islamic World is a research-oriented master’s program at the Department of History and Cultural Studies, focusing on the history, culture, religion, politics, and societies of the Islamic world. It is taught entirely in English and examines Islamic societies from the beginnings of Islam to the present, with a regional focus on West Asia, North Africa, and Europe, while also emphasizing global perspectives and interconnected histories.
The program provides students with an overview of current research and central debates in the study of Islamic societies. Particular emphasis is placed on theoretical and methodological approaches, including gender, postcolonial perspectives, critiques of racism, knowledge production and power, the relationship between law, religion, and politics, constructions of difference and alterity, religion and secularity, conceptual history, heritagization, popular and consumer culture, urban studies, and insider and outsider perspectives.
A strong research orientation allows students to engage with different forms of research and sources. These include field research, interviews, philological analysis of manuscripts, the study of contemporary Arabic knowledge production, digital humanities, material culture, and globally oriented conceptual studies. Students also deepen their Arabic language skills through reading courses focused on different types and genres of Arabic primary sources.
A distinctive feature of the program is its focus on “Islam in Europe”, combined with a strong emphasis on theory and methodology. The program also connects closely with the research priorities of the Institute of Islamic Studies and introduces students to current international scholarship through guest lectures and academic presentations.
For admission to the master’s program, applicants must fulfill the following requirements:
- A first university degree (e.g., a bachelor’s degree) comprising at least 180 credit points (ECTS). A minimum of 60 ECTS must have been earned in courses relevant to the study of history and societies of the Islamic world (Islamwissenschaft). Of these 60 ECTS, at least 40 ECTS must have been earned in courses that impart written Arabic language skills up to and including the B2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) and oral Arabic language skills at the level B1 or an equivalent. At least 20 ECTS of the requirement must have been earned in courses focusing on other (i.e., not language skills-focused) topics relevant to the study of history and societies of the Islamic world. The Arabic language requirement can also be fulfilled in other ways, for example by providing proof that the applicant has completed secondary or tertiary education in an Arabic-speaking country. In this case, the required 60 ECTS must have been earned in courses focusing on other (i.e., not language skills-focused) topics relevant to the study of history and societies of the Islamic world.
- Applicants who have not completed a university degree at an institution where coursework was conducted mainly in English must demonstrate English language skills corresponding to the C1 level (CEFR).
- German language skills are not required.
More information on admission criteria can be found in the Admissions Regulations for the Master's Program History and Societies of the Islamic World.
Basic Information
- Program Start: Winter and Summer semester
- Duration: 4 Semesters
- Language: English
- Degree: Master of Arts (M.A.)
Studienplatzvergabe
Ob die Bewerbung für einen Studienplatz möglich ist und ob das Fach platzbeschränkt (NC) oder zulassungsfrei (kein NC) ist, wird jedes Semester neu festgelegt. Es wird unterschieden zwischen dem 1. Fachsemester und höherem Fachsemester
Informationen zur Zulassung für Master of Arts.
Structure
The program is a consecutive master’s degree that requires a bachelor’s degree in History and Cultures of the Middle East with a focus on Islamic Studies, or an equivalent degree in a closely related field. It is taught entirely in English and combines interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary study with opportunities for individual specialization.
The curriculum is organized around several complementary areas. Students develop their knowledge of the history and societies of the Islamic world while also receiving systematic training in academic research methods, theoretical approaches, and good scholarly practices. The interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary components allow students to deepen their professional and academic interests in a specific area.
Research-based learning is an important part of the program structure. Students are encouraged to develop and carry out independent research projects, applying the theoretical and methodological approaches introduced in their courses. Arabic reading courses form another component of the curriculum, allowing students to work directly with Arabic primary sources.
The program also offers opportunities for international study and practical experience. Students in their second or third semester are encouraged to spend a period abroad at one of the program’s partner universities. Professional internships can also be undertaken abroad and incorporated into the interdisciplinary or transdisciplinary component of the degree.
Overall, the structure combines core academic training, methodological specialization, independent research, Arabic source work, interdisciplinary study, and international experience.
The Master's program is divided into three components, one of which is the master’s thesis. The other two components are each composed of several modules which, in turn, often comprise two courses.
a) Core ComponentThe core component consists of the common mandatory curriculum and the elective mandatory curriculum. The common mandatory curriculum contains the following modules:
- Islamic History I
- Islamic History II
- Culture, Knowledge, and Religion in Muslim Societies
- Theory and Methodology: What is Islam?
- Academic Skills and Tools
In the elective mandatory curriculum, students can choose between modules that focus either on Islam in Europe or on West Asia and North Africa. The following modules need to be completed:
- Research Colloquium – West Asia and North Africa OR Research Colloquium – Islam in Europe
- Politics and Society in West Asia and North Africa OR Politics and Society – Islam in Europe
- Normative Orders in Muslim Societies OR Normative Orders and Religious Plurality in Europe
Students are encouraged to take courses in a language relevant to their field of study, for example Turkish, Hebrew, or Persian. Alternatively, or in addition, they can complete an occupational internship or take courses in disciplines focusing on different regions, for example within Arabic Studies, Chinese Studies, Iranian Studies, Japanese Studies, Jewish Studies, Ottoman and Turkish Studies, and Semitic Studies, and/or disciplines working with pertinent theories and methods, such as History or Religious Studies.
The master’s thesis is intended to demonstrate that students are able to work independently on a question in the field of history and societies of the Islamic world, to present the results in an appropriate manner, to contextualize them in a scholarly perspective, and to document them.
For more detailed information on the structure, content, and modules of the program, students are asked to refer to the study and examination regulations, especially paragraphs 3, 7, and 9.
Location & Contact
Department of History and Cultural Studies
West Asia and North Africa/Diaspora
Islamic Studies
Prof. Dr. Christian Mauder, Ingrid Evans, Prof. Dr. Schirin Amir-Moazami
Fabeckstr. 23-25
14195 Berlin
+49 30 838 65190, -55893
Why Study Here?
The Institute of Islamic Studies at Freie Universität Berlin is integrated into a unique network of academic and cultural institutions related to the Islamic world, including the Museum für islamische Kunst, the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin – Preußischer Kulturbesitz with its Oriental Department (housing the largest collection of Arabic manuscripts in Germany), the Haus der Kulturen der Welt, and other institutions. Moreover, there is a broad variety of opportunities for exchange and collaboration with neighboring academic institutions. These include the Leibniz-Zentrum Moderner Orient, the Forum Transregionale Studien, the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities, the Institute for Asian and African Studies and the Berlin Institute for Islamic Theology at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, as well as other institutes at Freie Universität Berlin, including the Institutes of Arabic and Semitic Studies, Iranian Studies, Jewish Studies, and Ottoman and Turkish Studies.
Another unique asset of the university is the internationally highly renowned Berlin Graduate School Muslim Cultures and Societies, where the Institute of Islamic Studies plays a leading role. The school provides opportunities for further academic qualification to particularly successful graduates of the master’s program.
Last but not least, as an international and cosmopolitan European capital with a large Muslim population and numerous Islamic institutions and organizations, Berlin offers excellent opportunities especially for the focus area “Islam in Europe.”
Career Opportuinites
Program graduates acquire advanced subject-specific as well as theoretical and methodological skills that prepare them for work in different professional fields, particularly within institutions and organizations that deal with Islam or Muslim communities or with aspects of interculturality. Relevant areas include international organizations, non-governmental organizations, media, publishing, museums and specialist libraries, adult and further education, public authorities and agencies, political consulting, migration, and tourism. In addition, the program also qualifies its graduates to pursue doctoral studies.
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